Sample Pots.

After choosing the colour for our house, finally, we had all this left over sample paint. So, I put my creative juices to good use and together, Annie, Tom, Maggie and I made 'BrockExpress' - an overland train that holds more stuffed toys than you can shake a dummy at. Fun was had by all.


:: Annie took the role of chief designer. You'll notice all her favourite people were on board...Dora, Santa, Boots, and Jeff the purple Wiggle ::


:: Tom discovered fruit while Annie coloured in ::


:: Someone tried to board the train without a ticket, ahem (Maggie) ::


:: Ahhhh, that's better. All the kids happy and in one place! ::

Dear Natasha.

I had someone ask about the cottage on my header. I wish I could say it was mine. Well, it's in the family and I stay there ALL the time, but we don't own it. My husband's parents do. They built when they bought their farm as a shed come guest house. It has a beautiful little kitchenette and upstairs bedroom, but my favourite place to sleep is right in front of the coonara on a very windy night. Natasha, if you need more specific details on how it was built etc drop me a line with your email and I'll get back to you.

Busy Bees.

Quick House Update:

We managed to get just a bit more done on the house recently. The front has it's first coat of well thought out paint colour. We went with Duck White (a kinda beige grey). Very happy with the results.





Quick Craft Update:

I have been visiting my local op shop quiet a bit and collecting doilys for a lamp shape tutorial i saw on pinterest.





Quick Tom Update:

He wants to stand ALL THE TIME. Problem is, hes just not ready for it. So, its either me holding him, the couch or the coffee table. It's the only way he'll stay happy. Standing. Up right, thank you very much!


::nappy off time is 6pm every evening. Tonight they were playing doctors. Tom was meant to be the visitor, but he got all aggro and was told to leave immediately::

Quick Annie Update:

When she's not losing her mind over something (yep Tantrums have started) she is wonderfully cute. Today I asked her.

Am I Tom's mumma?'

Nooooooo.

Am I Annie's Mumma?

Nooooooo.

Well, who's mumma am I?

Bens.

True dat!


::Don't even ask about this photo. I told her cotton bubs where for her ears and next thing I turn around and she's all, 'look at my earrings Mumma'. I was very quick to say 'Don't push them in to far honey, your brain will fart'::

Kingsville to Yarraville

Walked to the train station to catch a train to work and these are some of the things I captured on the way.









What does your daily walk look like?

Progress People!

It's been such a busy time for us lately. Very, very tiring. On top of having two children under three, we are been renovating and trying to get our business up and going. That's three pretty huge things all at the one time. Renovating, kids, own business. Needless to say Ben and I are just so knackered from it all. I don't get a break from wrangling two small kids, and he doesn't get a break from renovating or working to spend time with those beautiful kids. It feels like we will never get off this ride.

However, there is good news to report. We decided recently to give the house one last big surge of effort before summer comes at which point we will cease with big reno projects and just do some 'family time' some pottering, visits to the zoo, beach, family, friends. You know...living a little. With the 'kind-of' end in sight, our spirits have been lifted. I took the kids to my mums on the weekend so that Ben could tackle the front weatherboards and start the front fence. Once that front of house looks a little neater we will ease into simpler times. I can't wait.

Here is the house before the weatherboards were changed, complete with fully restored original windows and a new (old) fully restored entrance way and door.



Half the weatherboards up.



Our little Victorian dream starts to take shape.

My work list.

Prompted by Leslie I have decided to blog my craft work list as it stands today. Phew! There is so much to do and so little time to do it in. Hopefully an upcoming craft weekend will help to knock a few off. I am especially excited about making Annie and Tom a puppet show! Stay tuned.



Winter Jacket for Miss Annie (ASAP)
Finish black dress prototype.
Start mueslin Pattern pieces.
Make puppet Theatre.
Make puppets. (Heads already done, see above)
Kit scarf for Annie (soooo late with this!)
Start master bedroom quilt.
Do a few more blocks on scrappy quilt. (long term project)

Ommmmm....

On Saturday I took my very stressed-out self to the local Buddhist Centre and started a meditation course. I've been feeling very hormonal when I've been ovulating and just before my period, and it's getting to the point where I can be unbearable to be around. So, rather than moan about it, I thought 'come on Em, let's do something about it.'

I Googled and found that I am not the only woman who found that after having two kids my PMS has become ridiculous and a real hindrance. Many, many, many other women feel the same. Anger one minute, laughing the next, crying about a minute later. Not. Fun.

So, my plan was simple: cut back on caffeine, alcohol, eat better, drink more water, take my vitamins EVERY DAY, and try yoga or meditation. The local Buddhist Centre had a 'first class free, four other classes for only $20' you can't beat those odds. Buddha himself would say it was a sign!

There was a very interesting mix of people there. Mostly women (who have probably ALL read 'Eat, Pray, Love') and of course the few men. One looked like he had just been released from Jail and this was part of his parole conditions. 'Relax, and the demons will go away...' But we all had something in common. We were just gobsmacked by our teacher. She spoIe about the constant feeling we all have that 'If I just had this I would be happy. if I just went there I would be happy. If I just did this I would be happy'. Expecting happiness to develop because of outside forces is guaranteed failure. Happiness must come from within. Or so I'm sold. I mean, told.

After a very awkward 1st lesson in Tai Chi, we had our first meditation session. I can't report feeling very enlightened. But then, I didn't expect to straight away. It was nice just to sit in the one spot for awhile. Still. No one needing me. I concentrated on my mind. It wandered. I thought about what I would make for dinner that night. I resented the fact that Ben would need to do the house renos ALL weekend and I would have to wrangle two kids on my own. I thought about how I would walk home...'past that great coffee shop, I'll grab a latte, surely Buddha is all good with a little treat or too! Man, I'm hungover' OK, back to breathing. In. Out. In. Out. 'should it be a big breath or just a little one. I'm feeling light headed. Back to the breath. In. Out. In. Out. White light in. Grey light out.'

And then I thought I would pretend the Grey light was the hormonal stuff happening in the pit of my womb. White light in. Bad, bitchy, PMS, lunatic Grey light out. It started to feel purposeful. Even peaceful.

Until I started thinking about coffee again.